Wollongong is just weeks away from having its very first Escape Room. Funpreneurs Brett Baker and Colin Bloomfield are almost finished building five escape rooms with a cocktail bar below Kneading Ruby that can be accessed by Crown Lane and Crown Street. There have spent recent months fitting out the 500 square metre site on the second level of Howarths Excelsior Hall with a variety of themes that will take adventure seekers and problem solvers to other times and worlds. Mr Bloomfield said work on the themes for each room in Breakout Bar and Escape Rooms is almost complete and the centre is set to open in the first week of October when the cocktail bar and karaoke rooms are finished. Mr Baker and his business partner are deliberately not giving too much away because it is important to keep the problems that need to be solved to succeed in escaping each room a mystery. And they are not easy. Rooms can be booked online and teams of between two to 10 people are locked in and have an hour to solve all the clues and puzzles and complete the mystery. There is only a 40 to 50 per cent chance of successfully progressing through the game to escape the room before the time is up. There are some Escape Rooms in Sydney and Melbourne but the Wollongong facility is larger and unlike any other in Australia. Mr Baker said while the opening is still a few weeks away, anyone interested in finding out some of the background can do so on social media. The idea is that all the rooms and challenges they present are played out in the house of a mysterious professor. “The narrative of the whole place is being played out on our Facebook page. It’s based on Professor B’s adventures through time.” Mr Baker described some rooms as very family and children friendly while others have what you might call a more adult rating. Breakout is the fifth adventure centre opened by the two former coal miners. The fourth venue was Revolution Laser Arena in Narellan that opened in June. The activity centre entrepreneurs also run Revolution Laser Arena and Hangtime Trampoline Park in Coniston as well as the Hangdog Climbing Gym in Auburn St, Wollongong. How many people can play? Our rooms are recommended for 2 – 8 players at once. Who can play? Games are recommended for ages 12 and above. Younger players may be ok in a group of older players, however please discuss this with staff prior to booking. As a general rule, someone over 16 will be required in every room. Am I really locked in? No. You can leave the game area at any time. But I’m claustrophobic! Don’t worry, the rooms are large and you can leave at any time. Please call us to discuss this if you have concerns. Is it scary? Not unless you are a big wimp Seriously though, it’s engaging, not frightening. If you are concerned please give us a call. Read more FAQs at www.breakoutbar.com.au.

There have spent recent months fitting out the 500 square metre site on the second level of Howarths Excelsior Hall with a variety of themes that will take adventure seekers and problem solvers to other times and worlds.

Mr Bloomfield said work on the themes for each room in Breakout Bar and Escape Rooms is almost complete and the centre is set to open in the first week of October when the cocktail bar and karaoke rooms are finished.

Mr Baker and his business partner are deliberately not giving too much away because it is important to keep the problems that need to be solved to succeed in escaping each room a mystery. And they are not easy.

Rooms can be booked online and teams of between two to 10 people are locked in and have an hour to solve all the clues and puzzles and complete the mystery. There is only a 40 to 50 per cent chance of successfully progressing through the game to escape the room before the time is up.

There are some Escape Rooms in Sydney and Melbourne but the Wollongong facility is larger and unlike any other in Australia. Mr Baker said while the opening is still a few weeks away, anyone interested in finding out some of the background can do so on social media.

The idea is that all the rooms and challenges they present are played out in the house of a mysterious professor.

“The narrative of the whole place is being played out on our Facebook page. It’s based on Professor B’s adventures through time.”

Mr Baker described some rooms as very family and children friendly while others have what you might call a more adult rating.

Frequently asked questions

How many people can play?

Our rooms are recommended for 2 – 8 players at once.

Who can play?

Games are recommended for ages 12 and above. Younger players may be ok in a group of older players, however please discuss this with staff prior to booking. As a general rule, someone over 16 will be required in every room.

Am I really locked in?

No. You can leave the game area at any time.

But I’m claustrophobic!

Don’t worry, the rooms are large and you can leave at any time. Please call us to discuss this if you have concerns.

Is it scary?

Not unless you are a big wimp Seriously though, it’s engaging, not frightening. If you are concerned please give us a call.